Support the Orchestra Concert for Fire Relief

I am Cary Belling, a professional violinist and composer living in Pasadena, CA, and I am organizing a special orchestra concert and fundraiser to support local charities who continue to provide badly needed emergency help to victims of the Palisades and Eaton Canyon windstorm fires. My goal is to bring people together with inspiring and motivating music that will help deepen our commitment to each other and our communities as well as bolster our prominent local charities.

Many of my friends and neighbors who are fire victims are still a long ways from recovery. We all know that thousands of houses and apartments were destroyed or smoke damaged along with many businesses and jobs being lost. The initial efforts directly after the disaster have helped immensely with immediate care. However, the struggle is not over. Thousands of people remain displaced and often have to pay high prices for housing and/or commute much further to work. In the four months since the disaster, progress has been made in clearing debris, but it can take years to recover from major structural damage.

Music is the great transformer. It has the unique ability to simultaneously soothe, enlighten, and empower people even in the most challenging of circumstances. In my decades as a professional musician, I’ve seen firsthand how just one song, one musical phrase – whether familiar or new – can turn a deep feeling of helplessness into one of hope and inspiration. When my own father passed from cancer at a young age, it was music that offered me comfort for my grief and a path to renew my sense of joy, and ultimately become an musician and composer.

Scheduled at 2:00 pm Sunday afternoon May 29 at the Westminster Presbyterian Church in Pasadena, the concert will be free, open to the public, and will be streamed on Youtube. The orchestra will be comprised of highly accomplished colleagues, who are generously donating their services. Charities will have the opportunity to speak briefly about the ways people can support their relief efforts. Admission is free and open to the public Reservations and info at

www.firerelieforchestraconcert.com or www.facebook.com/cary.belling

Your donation to this campaign will facilitate concert production costs such as venue and staff, music scores, and a small stipend for the impacted musicians who perform in the concert. Donations of any size are welcomed.

Despite the tremendous destruction from the fires, music can help us find creative ways to not only rebuild homes and neighborhoods, but inspire new vision and courage for the whole of our communities. Please consider donating to the Eaton Canyon/Altadena and Pacific Palisades Fire Relief Concert Campaign. Thank you!!

Cary Belling

carybellingmusic.com